Scarf It Up

Pity the poor belt, that piece of apparel always worn in the same place, always in the same way. An accessory like a scarf wears so many more hats.

It's the place to flaunt a great pin, individualize your look, rescue last year's dress.

It's a necklace, a sash, a turban, a collar.

For Jaci Segaloff, owner of JACI, a Hilton Village boutique, a scarf's a mood brightener worn over a dark overcoat on a cold morning. If you haven't yet mastered the art of tying one on, it's a lesson worth learning.

You don't need to go to New York's Seventh Avenue to learn all the right moves, either. Many retail experts have done their homework; they're aware that for some, whipping a scarf into an accordian pleat or rosette is easier said than done.

"Our staff is trained. We've learned through the sales reps," says Jackie Lewis, manager of the Betti Paige Shoppe in Newport News. "We'll teach customers how to tie scarves here in the store."

For $1, the shop will sell you a copy of accessories designer Ginnie Johansen's booklet "How-To," with 40 of the guide's 43 pages devoted to line drawings of scarf-tying. Make a purchase and the pamphlet's free.

"People don't know what to do with scarves," says Carole Lawrence, fashion director and special events manager at the Newmarket North Mall Leggett. "I think it's just like a flower arrangement. It looks beautiful, but it's complicated to do when you try it."

Betti Paige and Leggett each get requests from community groups to do presentations on accessories, especially scarves. Leggett has one booked for March 18 at the Sheraton Coliseum-Inn in Hampton. The special guest will be Bobbie Jean Thompson, author of the book "Scarf Tying Magic." After the workshop, she'll consult with customers in the Newmarket Leggett.

"It is something we know people are interested in," says Lawrence, adding that during Thompson's appearance at the Fredericksburg Leggett in October the store rang up sales on 135 scarves ranging in price from $5.99 to $65.

If you're a beginner, remember this, says Audrey Moore of the Betti Paige staff: "It's just basically knowing how to tie a square knot." With that trick under your belt, you're on your way. "You can do a half-knot; you can make a half-bow."

Practice makes perfect and provides the boldness to experiment. The success may even go to your head.